Picture frame righting and spacing means



May 28, 1968 R. A. PRECHTL PICTURE FRAME RIGHTING AND SPACING MEANS- F'iled July 7, 1966 Fig.l

Roberf A. Prechf/ v INVENTOR.

1 BY @aaflu United States Patent 3,384,987 PICTURE FRAME RIGHTING AND SPACING MEANS Robert A. Prechtl, 999 Central Ave., Dunkirk, N.Y. 14048 Filed July 7, 1966, Ser. No. 563,574 Claims. (Cl. 40-1521) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Picture frame spacing and stabilizing means is provided. The frame is suspended by a common bridle-type hanger wire and provided at its four corners with stayput spacing pegs. These pegs, which are adjustable in length, keep the picture from shifting from its given balanced position. Also, they provided an air circulating space, minimize accumulation of damaging moisture, prevent discoloration of the wall surface aligned with the picture, and Well serve the over-all picture righting result desired.

This invention relates to improved means through the medium of which a room wall supported picture, more particularly, a frame-equipped picture of a type which is suspended by a bridle or hanger wire, can be and is righted, maintained in a correctly balanced state, and, what is highly important, is spaced with requisite nicety from the room walls surface.

The inventive concept is unique in that it offers the user simple, practical and easy-to-install stabilizing means which, when correctly attached to the four corners of the picture frame, functions to reliably keep the picture from shifting and because of miscellaneous inside or outside vibrations, angling itself to and assuming an off-angle, unbalanced unsightly position.

Further, the invention not only functions to hold the picture in a stay-put state, it spaces the picture and provides a desirable air circulating space, between the picture and the opposed wall surface, which prevents the accumulation of damaging moisture between the picture and wall, reduces to a minimum the likelihood of discoloration of the wall surface as is usually present when hung a picture is removed, and presents the picture in a well poised delightfully attractive manner.

Persons conversant with the art to which the invention relates are aware that it is not broadly new to employ frame spacing and stabilizing means. The reader may, if desired, refer to the anchoring device for framed pictures and the like disclosed in a patent to Strand 1,675,282, and wherein it will be observed that in order to use the prior art device it is necessary to use force, by hammer, for example, in order to embed the wall penetrating or piercing means in the wall and which would, of course, damage a valuable picture frame. Unlike the prior patented construction and arrangement, the present invention is such that no sharp tack-like members are necessary to penetrate either the picture frame or the wall surface and no special tools of any type are needed to install the spacing and stabilizing members. To the ends desired and as will be hereinafter more fully appreciated, a spacing and stabilizing member, for example, a simple plastic dowel-like peg is attached or located at each corner on the reverse side of the picture frame.

Briefly, in carrying out the principles of the present invention a novel combination achieving a new and improved result is offered. It is characterized, generally speaking, by a picture having an encompassing marginal frame. The frame, as is usual, presents an obverse or 3,384,987 Patented May 28, 1968 room confronting or facing side and a reverse wall confronting side. The framed picture is suspended or hung by any suitable flexible bridle-type hanger wire which bridges or spans the reverse side and has its ends fastened to the vertical end members of the picture frame at median portions of said reverse side. More significantly, the invention has to do with a means which is attached to and carried by the individual respective corner portions of the reverse side of the frame. This means is interposed between the reverse side and the coacting wall surface and has contact with said surface and is designed and adapted to uniformly space the overall picture a given distance from the wall surface. Accordingly, it functions to maintain the picture in an established or given position and, manifestly, prevents it from shift ing from said position and assuming an undesirable offangle unbalanced as well as unsightly position.

More specifically, novelty is predicated on an adaptation and arrangement wherein each means is characterized by or comprises a linearly straight peg of a predetermined length and of limited cross-section. This peg is preferably cylindrical in cross-section and the end of the peg which is adjacent or proximal to the frame, for example the outer end, is connected to an adapter. The adapter in turn is adhesively and detachably connected to an oriented coacting corner portion of the frame. The inner end of the peg or dowel is provided with a plastic protective cap which bears against the wall surface and reduces wall surface damage to a satisfactory degree. Then, too, novelty is predicated on the adapter which is characterized by a suitable rubber or an equivalent base which has a flat attaching surface, said surface being coated with pressure responsive adhesive media so that the surface can be attached to the frame even when the picture is in place on the wall. Further, the base has a body portion with an axial socket which provides the desired shock-absorbing properties and the coacting end of the peg is fitted telescopingly but retentively into said socket.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view in elevation showing a suitable or conventional picture wherein the corner portions of the reverse side of the frame are provided with the improved picture frame righting and spacing means;

FIGURE 2 is a view in end elevation showing the picture hung on a wall and, what is important, showing the improved corner-attached frame righting and spacing devices;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the component parts of the device separated for convenience of illustration; and

FIGURE 4 is a view in section and elevation on a suitably enlarged scale which brings out the details of construction and the manner in which the components are assembled for operation.

With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 2, it will be seen that the picture 6 comprises a panel portion 8 (FIG. 1) with an ornamental marginal outstanding or front flange 10, and which is mounted on and supported by the front or obverse side 12 of the rectangular or equivalent frame 14. This part of the overall picture, illustrated here as a simple frame, comprises the usual longitudinal and vertical frame members as shown in FIG. 1. The overall reverse side of the frame, considered as a unit, is denoted at 16. The bridle type hanger, which may be of any suitable construction, is denoted at 18 and the ends of the wires or component parts 20 are attached to screw-eyes or the like 22 on the median portions of the vertical frame members. The inner converging ends of the component portions 20 are connected with a ring or eye 24 which in practice is attached to and hung from a wall bracket, nail or the like which is generally denoted at 26 in FIG. 2.

The detailed description thus far pertains to a conventional picture frame and hanger means therefor. The invention pertains in particular to the corner-attached devices which are arranged at the individual four corners to obtain the desired distributive and spacing and stabilizing effect which is evident from FIGS. 1 and 2. Inasmuch as each device is the same in construction a description of one will serve for all. With this in mind it will be evident that the elongated cylindrical dowel provides a stabilizing and spacing peg denoted by the numeral 28. It is of suitable length, made of moldable plastic material and comprises segmental portions 30 which are axially aligned and joined in end to end association by reduced frangible neck portions 32. By making the necks suitably fragile it is possible to break the component portions 30 to vary the length of the overall peg. The inner end portion 34 is provided with rubber protective cap 36 which bears against the wall as shown in FIG. 2. The outer end portion 38 is fitted telescopingly into a socket 40 provided therefor in the cushion at the body portion 42 of the rectangular or equivalent base 44. It will be observed that the attachable surface of the base is in the form of a satisfactory ply of adhesive material 46 which is attachable to the surface 48 of the wall 50 in the manner shown in FIG. 4. In actual practice the adhesive side of the bonding pad or ply 46 is covered with a removable strip of protective paper or the like (not shown). Practice has shown that when the adapter or base is properly applied and bonded and with the end 38 fitting into the socket 40, the desired shock absorbing feature is attained. It follows that vibrations which naturally occur do not interfere with the properly coupled relationship between the prop or peg 28 and socketed body portion of the adapter base 44.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In combination, a picture having an encompassing marginal frame, said frame having an obverse room facing side and a reverse wall confronting side, a flexible bridletype picture hanging wire spanning said reverse side with its ends fastened to the vertical end members of said frame and adapted to be suspended between its ends from a wall-attached hanger bracket, nail or the like, and means attached to an carried by the respective corner portions of the reverse side of said frame, said means being interposed between said reverse side and coacting wall surface, having contact with said surface and being designed and adapted to uniformly space the over-all picture a given distance from said wall surface and also maintaining the picture in an established position and, accordingly, preventing it from shifting, each of the aforementioned means comprising a straight peg of a predetermined length and of limited cross-section, that end of the peg proximal to said frame, namely, the outer end, being connected to an adapter and said adapter being adhesively but detachably connected to an orientated coacting corner portion of said frame.

2. The combination according to claim 1 and wherein said adapter comprises a rubber base having a flat attaching surface which is coated with pressure-responsive adhesive means, said base having an axial socket and the coacting end of said peg being fitted telescopingly but retentively into said socket.

3. The combination according to claim 2, and wherein that end of the peg adjacent the wall, namely, the inner end, is provided with a wall abutting surface protecting cap.

4. The combination defined in and according to claim 3, and wherein each peg comprises a dowel made of moldable plastic material, said dowel being molded to provide selectively usable axially aligned segments joined end-toend by reduced frangible easy-to-break segments, whereby a user can readily adjust and regulate the length of said peg.

5. For use on a corner portion of the reverse side of a picture frame, a picture frame spacing and righting attachment comprising: an adapter embodying a base having an attaching surface coated with pressure-responsive adhesive media and adapted to be pressed into a ready-touse position on a predetermined surface of the aforementioned corner portion, said adapter also embodying a peg mounting portion including a resilient cushion having a socket, and a frame stabilizing and spacing peg, said peg being of a predetermined length and adjustable in length, the end of the peg proximal to said adapter being retentively fitted securely retained in position in said socket, that end of the peg opposite from said adapter being free and provided with a wall abutting surface protecting cap.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,492,411 12/ 1949 Barnes et a1 40-1521 X FOREIGN PATENTS 472,446 2/1929 Germany.

EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner. W. J. CONTRERAS, Examiner. 

